Pneumatic player-action.



F. E. NICHOLS L E. W. FELTIS.

PNEUMATIC PLAYER ACTION. APPLxcATIoN HLED FEB.17.1916.

1,229,501 Patented J une 12, 1917.

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wouw@ FRANK E. NICHOLS, MOUNT CARMEL, AND EARL W. FELTIS,

0F NORWOOD, OHIO.

PNEUMATIC PLAYER-ACTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 1111 12, 1917.

Application filed February 17, 1916. Serial No. 78,796.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK E. NICHOLS and EARL WV. FnL'ris, citizens of the United States of America, and residents Vof Mount Carmel, Ohio, and Norwood, Chio, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Player-Actions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved pneumatic player action, and particularly to a player action adapted to be installed in existing pianos.

An object of our invention is to produce a pneumatic player' action which may be readily installed in any existing piano, without changing the piano construction in lany way and without constructing special parts to accommodate the player action to the piano action.

A further object is to produce a player action which will not be affected by changes in atmospheric conditions, and in which each of the operating parts is readily accessible, without having to dismantle the entire player action to reach the desired portion of the action.

A further object of our invention is to provide a construction of vacuum chest, valve casing, and diaphragm casing, which may be made as a unit in metal.

These and other objects are attained by the construction described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a player action embodying our invention, attached to a piano action, paits of which are shown in section for convenience ofvillustration.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental front elevation of K the player and piano actions shown in Fig. 1.

F ig. 3 is a transverse section through striking pneumatic, the vacuum chest, and a pneumatic controlling valve in the construction embodying our invention.

In so-called attachable pneumatic player actions the constructions have heretofore been such that the striking pneumatics, their mounting chest, the secondary Valves, the primary channels, and the primary valves, were built solidly together of wood for each different make, style and size of piano to which the construction was to be attached. This has made it heretofore -impossible to build but one stock player action, which could be applied to any and all pianos without alteration or reconstruction.

In our improved player action, overcoming the objections heretofore encountered in player actions, we construct a vacuum chest 4, which extends transversely of the piano with valve units 5 for operating the striking pneumatic, mounted and uniformly spaced on the chest and operatively associated therewith, without constructing valve and pneumatic banks or sections. Beneath the vacuum chest a. longitudinally extending vertically disposed plate 6 is located the plate having a series of three superimposed and longitudinally extending slots 7, 8 and 9, through which pass screws- 10, by means of which the strikingA pneumatics 11 are secured in their proper positions on the mounting plate G. Each of the valves is operatively connected with the striking pneumatics by means of a Series of short flexible tubes 12, the striking pneumatics are operatively connected with the piano actionby means of a series of short rods 13, and the valve units 5 are operatively connected with the tracker board 14;, by means of a'series of pipes 15.

Each valve unit 5 has a casing 16 formed on the top of the vacuum chest 4, and a diaphragm casing 17 secured to the under side of the chest. The casing 16 is closed at its top by means of a removable cover 18, having an aperture 19 formed centrally thereof. The casing 17 is removably mounted by means of screws 20, to aiford access to a diaphragm or pouch 21, closing an enlarged aperture 22 formed in the vacuum chest 4. In the top of the chest and in alinement with the aperture 19 in the cover 18 of the valve casing 16, is formed an aperture 23 of substantially the same size as the aperture 19. Both the apertures 19 and 23 are of a size to permit a valve stem 24 to pass therethrough, with sufficient space surrounding the valve stem to facilitate the passage of air through the apertures. The lower end of the valve stem is provided with a Contact button 25, which rests'upon the diaphragm 21 and affords suiiicient bearing surface thereon to effect actuation of the valve stem when the diaphragm is operated.l The valve stem is screw-threaded for a portion of its length and is provided with the usual valve disk 26, which is also screw-threaded for adjustment thereon. Both sides of the valve disk 26 are covered with leather or other suitable packing washers 27 and 28, the washer 27 being' adapted to Contact the underside of the cover 1S and to close the aperture 19, while the washer 28 is adapted to contact the top of the vacuum chest and close the aperture 23. Provided in the diaphragm 21 isa small opening 29, commonly known as a bleeder, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. Extending from the valve casing 16 and. to the forward edge of the vacuum chest 4 is a piipe 30,. which con'mninicates. with the interior of the valve casing andv aiifords. ai convenient means for attaching the upper ends or? the tubes 12 thereto; To the rear of the valve casing 17 and.` communicating therewi:tli=,.a; pipe nozzle 31 is provided, the nozz-le affording. convenient means of connection of the proper tube 15. extending' from the tracker board 14 'ot the action.

Each of the striking pneumatics 11 is provided.i with a passage 32,. in which a short pipe elbow 33y is mounted, the elbow extending through one of the slots 7, 8 or 9, iny which the mounting screws 10- ofthe pneumatic arel screwed, and the location of the elbow is preferably between the mounting screws,` as shown in Fig. 2.. of the tubes 12, which are preferably of rubber, are slipped: over the upwardly extending endsy of the elbows 33. Each striking pneu.- matic is provided with a finger 34, extending to the rear thereof, and at the end ot each. linger aloop- 35, in which the lower crooked. emit ofthe proper connecting rod 13 is rotatively secured, is provided.. Each of these connecting; rods extendsy upwardly and is provided with a: button 3G at its upper end', which contacts a regulating button 37, mounted on a. regulating screw 38,. adj-ust.- ably screwed in the tail 39 of the wippen .lO/ot the piano actionl 41:. TheA upper end of each rody 113. is reciprocally mounted in an adjustable bracket 42, secured to an angle rarl 43 mounted en: a bracket 4-4, upon which.

the vacuum chest 4- and pneumatic mountingl plate 6. is secured. le preferably provide a. number-of the brackets located. at the breaks between the different registers of the piano action upon the pneumatic mounting plate G, so that the plate G, the chest, andy theangle bar 43 will be properly positioned with one another throughout. the length of the player action. The angle plate 43 is provided: with a groovfe 45,. in which adjustment screw 46 of the bracket 42 is adapted tov bear, the screw being mounted in a forwardly extending linger 47 provided on eachv bracket. By means of the screw 46, each: bracket -42 may be correctly adjusted to bring its rod| 13v into vertical positiony and immediately beneath the proper regulating button 37 mounted on the tail 39 of: the propery wippen 40. Thus we have provide-d means for adjusting the pneumatics 11 to rlhe lower ends.

their proper positions beneath the wippens of the respective piano actions they are intended tov operate, and also means for alining the operating rods 13 therewith. At the end of the vacuum chest 4 may be connected the trunk line 48, through which air from the Vacuum chest is extracted. Any suitable means, such as the bellows pumps usually provided to produce the vacuum, may be provided to cause operation o'l the valves 213 and the striking pneumatics 11.

In operation:

In our improved player action, the air is extracted from. the chest 4 to producea partial vacuum and the vacuum is maintained by the usual vacuum-creating mechanism. As the perforated sheet 49 passes over the tracker board 14 and presents an aperture to register with one of the tracker board openings 50; air is allowed to pass through the tube 15; communicating with the opening 50, and to thereby permit atmospheric air pressurel to fill the lower casing 1`7 of the valve unit 5. Previous tothis, the vacuum created in the chest 4 has drawn substantially all the' air contained inthe casing 157 andI tube 15 therefrom through the bleeder passage 29 in the diaphragm 21. This has caused the diaphragm to assume the position shown in Fig. 3, with the valve 2G closing the aperture 23 in they top surface of the chest.. In this position,A no air can pass into the chest, except through the blceder passage 29, when the aperture 50 of the tracker board.l is openedy by the perforated music sheet 49. The perforation 50 having been opened to permit atmospheric air to fill the casing 17, the vacuum inv the chest 4 permits the air below the diaphragm 2l to'lift it and` consequently lift the valve disk 26 to open the aperture in the top of the chest.. This lifting of the valve disk 26 will bring the packing disk 2T into engagement with the cover 18 on the top casing 16, and close thel aperture 1:9. This places the tube 30, the tube 12, the elbow 33,.passage 32, and pneumatic 11 into communication with thev vacuum chest and causes collapse of' the pneumatic 11. Such an operation results in forcing the rod 13 and its button.y 3G into engagement with the regulating button 37, mounted on the tail 39 et the wippenr 449, and moves the wippen, and, consequently the hammer head 51, by means of its hopper jack 52 into striking engagement with the piano; string 53. lVhen the aperture 50 in the tracker board' is again closed by the perforated music sheet, the air in the casing 1:7 and pipe 15 is extracted through the bleeder passage 29,. and the weight of the air upon.l the valve 26 moves the diaphragm 21v to: the position shown in Fig. 3, thus closing the aperture 23 in the topy of the casing andv cutting ofi'- communication of the chest with the pneumatic 11. The Vclosingy of the opening 23 by the valve disk opens the aperture 19 to atmospheric pressure and permits 'the bellows 11 to be restored to the normal position shown in Fig. 3, and permits the hammer head 51 and its operating mechanism to fall to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1.

Since the vacuum chest 4 and the diaphragm casings 17 are made of metal, screws may be used to secure them together, so as to hold the diaphragm in place. Since the metal is not affected by changes in climatic conditions, the screws will not become loose, and permit the leakage of air into the vacuum.

An important feature is that we have eliminated the usual wooden construction, in which the striking pneumatics are glued or secured permanently to the back or bottom of the Valve chest in register with the valve openings permanently located therein. Because of the fact that piano action constructions vary as to the positions of the breaks occurring at the different registers in scale drafting, it has heretofore been necessary to provide special constructions for each and every make of piano, but in our improved construction, it is merely necessary to adjust the positions of the striking pneumatics by means of their mounting screws 10 in the slots 7, 8 and 9, and to connect them, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of the proper lengths of tubes 12 with their proper actuating valves, and bringing into alinement with the striking pneumatic 11, the bracket 42 on the angle rail 43, through which passes the connecting rod 13, it being immaterial whether the valve casings are uniformly spaced on the vacuum chest, or whether they are spaced according to the breaks occurring between the different registers in scale drafting. We prefer, however, to space the valve uniformly on the chest, in order to avoid unnecessary complications of construction.

In case of a piano being of the old style note type, a player action embodying our invention and constructed for eighty-eight note pianos, may still be employed, it being merely necessary to eliminate certain of the valve units by blocking their pipe nipples 31, to prevent entrance of atmospheric air pressure to the casing 17 of the diaphragms to be eliminated, andskipping the tubes 30 communicating with the casing 16 of the eliminated valves, in order to connect the tubes 12 of the striking pneumatics which are to be used, to the valves which are to operate them.

Another feature of our invention is that byI means of the extremely simple, light, strong, and inexpensive metal construction of our player action, we eliminate the very complicated and expensive operations necessary to produce a successful player action of the wooden construction ordinarily employed. In addition to this, the metal being unaffected by atmospheric conditions, will not be subjected to warpage and the consequent opening of joints which should remain hermetically sealed.

Furthermore the ease with which thc various parts of our improved player action may be reached and removed, without necessitating the complete dismantling of the construction and without breaking any glued joints to reach the impaired portions, is an important feature.

Vhat we claim is:

1. In combination in a player action, a striking pneumatic, a vacuum chest, a valve unit mounted on the chest and communicating with the chest and the pneumatic, a tracker board, a tube connecting the tracker board and the valve unit, means for adjustably mounting the pneumatic relatively to the chest andl valve unit, an operative connection between the pneumatic and the wippen of a piano action, and adjustable means for alining the connection with the wippen and the pneumatic after the pneumatic has been adjusted.

2. A player action comprising a striking pneumatic, a vacuum chest, a valve unit communicating with the chest and operatively connected with the pneumatic, a tracker board, a tube connecting the tracker board and the valve unit, a slotted plate, and means secured to the pneumatic and occupying the slot of the plate to adjustably mount the pneumatic thereon and at a right angle thereto.

8. In combination in a player action, a striking pneumatic, a slotted plate, means secured to the pneumatic and occupying the slot of the plate to adjustably mount the pneumatic thereon, a shallow vacuum chest having alined openings in the top and bottom thereof, casings on the top and bottom, concentric with the openings in the chest, a flexible diaphragm closing the bottom opening, a valve disk closing the top opening, a valve stein mounting the disk and having its lower end extending through the chest and engaging the diaphragm, a tube connecting the top valve casing with the pneumatic, a tracker board, and a tube connecting the tracker board with the bottom casing.

4. In a player action, the combination of a series of striking pneumatics, a vacuum chest, a valve unit for each pneumatic mounted on the chest and communicating with the chest and its pneumatic, a tracker board, and tubes connecting the tracker board and the valve units, a vertical slotted plate, means occupying the slot of the plate and secured to the pneumatics, adapted to mount the pneumatics adjustably at right angles thereto, a bar located adjacent to the slotted plate, stickers operatively connected with the pneumatics and the Wppens of a subscribed our names this 15th day of Febpiano action .to be operated, and Clamps ruary, 1916.

mounted on the bar and operatively con FRANK E. NICHOLS. neoted with the stickers, adapted to aline EARL W. FELTIS. the stickers with the -wppens after the pneu- Witnesses: matics have been adjusted.. WALTER F. MURRAY,

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto W. THORNTON BOGERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by .addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

